THE LION. 



167 



v-ea'rs since they had seen each other; that the care 

 of the lion, on his passage from Gibraltar, had been 

 committed to him, and he was happy to see the poor 

 beast shew so much gratitude for his attention." 



When the lion has become acquainted with human 

 superiority, his courage has become so degenerated, 

 that he has even been scared away with a shout; and 

 in a tame state, we have an instance of one of these 

 animals being overcome by a goat. Mr. Bruce, com- 

 mander-general of the Senegal company on the coast 

 of Africa, had near him a full grown tame lion, when 

 a flock of goats was brought that had been just pur- 

 chased. They were so terrified at this enormous, 

 animal, that all of them ran off except one; but he, 

 looking stedfastly at the lion, stamped with his foot on 

 the ground in a menacing attitude; then retreated 

 three steps, and, instantly returning, struck the lion's 

 forehead so forcibly with his horns, that the animal 

 was nearly stunned. The goat repeated his blow se- 

 veral times, and the lion was thrown into such confu- 

 sion, that he was at length obliged to conceal himself 

 behind his master. 



The lion is sometimes held at bay a considerable 

 time by the buffalo; and it is not always that he 

 proves victorious over other animals, as will appear 

 irom the following anecdote : 



A Florentine gentleman had a mule so exceedingly 

 viscious as to be altogether ungovernable, from its 

 kicking and biting every person that approached it. 

 lie ordered it to be turned into the court of his mena- 

 gerie, and a lion to be let loose upon it. The lion 

 roared aloud when he first observed the animal; but 

 the mule, without seeming at all alarmed, ran into a 

 corner of the court, and so placed herself that she 

 could only be attacked in the rear. In this situation 

 she waited the onset, at the same time watching with 

 the greatest attention all the motions of her adver- 

 sary. The lion, aware of the difficulty, used all his 

 art, but to no purpose, to throw her oft'her guard. At 

 last the mule, seizing a favourable opportunity, fijave 

 him such a salute in the face with her hind feet, as to 



